Queensland currently has four category 5 rated shelters which have been built over the past five years in Cooktown, Kowanyama, Innisfail and Redlynch.

Following cyclone Yasi, the Arab emirate of Abu Dhabi donated 30 million dollars to Queensland and the state government has matched that sum and begun the design process for the new shelters.

Building industry minster Simon Finn says the locations of the new shelters was determined following consultation with local councils, MPs and emergency service groups.

"The primary concern for the expert panel was to find places that they could be very risk averse about recommending, so places that were safe in extreme weather events".

Mackay, Bowen, Cairns, Ingham, Port Douglas, Proserpine, Townsville, Tully, Weipa and Yeppoon were decided as locations for the shelters with construction to start in early 2012 and completed by 2012 and 2013 for the Mackay site.

Minister Finn says the structures will be able to withstand winds of up to 300 kilometres per hour and will have a capacity of at least 500 people, with several being much larger.

Member for Hinchinbrook Andrew Cripps is pleased that Ingham has been selected as a site for one shelter, but says Cardwell has been overlooked.

"In the same way that Ingham and the Herbert River district becomes isolated to the north and to the south during a major flood event or a natural disaster like a cyclone, the same is the case for Cardwell..."

Mr Cripps says Cardwell was ruled out as a location due to "strict guidelines" regarding the possibility of storm surge and flooding.

"I felt that there was a rather a large Geographic gap there that would have been filled adequately if we could have found a suitable location in Cardwell..."

Premier Anna Bligh has already indicated that the cyclone shelters will be available for recreational use when not being used in an emergency.